Aeratable cigarette



Nov. 8, 1966 M. s. KISSEL 3,283,762

AERATABLE C IGARETTE Filed May 14, 1964 IN VENTOR.

M/Cl/AEZ. 5. K/SSEL United States Patent 3,283,762 AERATABLE CIGARETTE Michael S. Kissel, 5628 th Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa. Filed May 14, 1964, Ser. No. 367,433 3 Claims. (Cl. 131--10.3)

This invention relates to cigarettes, and more particularly to those in which the wrapper is perforated to permit the cigarette to be aerated.

There are many patents on cigarettes and perforated wrappers to allow air to be drawn into the sides of the cigarettes. In most cases the perforations are in a portion of the cigarette containing tobacco, although some have the perforations in the wall of an empty portion of the wrapper at its rear or mouth end. The advantages of being able to draw air into the cigarette through the sides of the wrapper have been set forth in such patents. It dilutes the smoke, makes it milder and cooler, it reduces toxicity of the smoke and the smoke becomes less irritating. However, in the patented cigarettes there is very little, if anything, that the smokercan do but smoke the cigarette as intended, which may not suit him.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a cigarette which includes no elements in addition to the usual tobacco and filter and encircling wrapper or tube, which can be smoked as an ordinary filter cigarette, which can be smoked as an aerated filter cigarette, which can be smoked as a filterless cigarette and which can be smoked as an aerated filterless cigarette.

In accordance with this invention a column of tobacco fills the major portion of a paper cigarette tube but is spaced from its rear end, in which there is a filter. The filter and tobacco column are spaced apart to form an empty chamber between them. The portion of the tube forming the wall of this chamber is provided near each end with a ring of perforations. The spacing of the two rings of perforations is such that the lips of the smoker can selectively cover both rings simultaneously or engage the tube only between the rings. This arrangement of rings therefore also permits the smoker to cover either ring of perforations separately with his lips. As a result, it is possible to smoke the cigarette in the four different ways mentioned in the preceding paragraph.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side view of my cigarette; and

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary side views, partly broken away, of the cigarette held in four different positions between the lips.

Referring to the drawings, my cigarette is the same diameter as conventional cigarettes, but may be made a little longer if desired. It includes a paper wrapping or tube 1, the major portion of which is filled with tobacco 2. This column of tobacco is spaced from the rear end of the tube that is held in the mouth, and a filter 3 of any suitable construction is disposed in the rear end.

It is a feature of this invention that the filter and the tobacco column are spaced apart to form an empty chamber 4 between them. Preferably, this chamber is about one-half inch long, and of course the wall of the chamber is formed by a short section of the paper tube. The chamber wall is provided near each end with a ring of tiny perforations. For the purpose of this invention, the two rings of perforations 5 and 6 must be close enough together to permit the lips 7 of the smoker to surround and cover those two rings at the same time as shown in FIG. 2. On the other hand, the two rings of perforations must be far enough apart to permit the smoker to position his lips between them whenever he wishes to do so. With this arrangement, there are four different principal Ways that the cigarette can be smoked.

3,283,762 Patented Nov. 8, 1966 Thus, if the smoker wishes to smoke the cigarette just like an ordinary filter cigarette, he will place the cigarette in his mouth in a position wherein his lips close both rings of perforations, as shown in FIG. 2. All of the air drawn through the cigarette will then have to enter its outer or front end. On the other hand, if the smoker not only wishes to use the filter but also wants to have the smoke aerated and cooled, he will insert the cigarette in his mouth only far enough for his lips to close the rear ring of perforations 6, as shown in FIG. 3. Then air will be drawn into chamber 4 through the front ring of perforations 5 and will mix with the smoke and cool it before it enters the filter 3.

There may be times, however, when a smoker does not want to draw the smoke through the filter but to inhale it directly from the burning tobacco; in other words, smoke the cigarette like a filterless cigarette. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 4, he inserts the cigarette into his mouth far enough for his lips to close the front ring of perforations 5 but to leave the rear ring uncovered inside his month. When he draws on the cigarette, the smoke will be drawn into his mouth through the rear perforations, thereby bypassing the filter due to the much greater F resistance to flow created by the filter. Under still other circumstances a smoker may wish to aerate the raw smoke, again not using the filter. To do this he must contract his lips to position them between the two rings of perforations without closing either ring, as shown in FIG. 5. In smoking the cigarette in this position the smoke drawn into chamber 4 will be mixed with air entering through the front ring of perforations 5, and the mixture will be drawn out through the rear ring of perforations 6. The filter 3 will be by-passed.

Another feature of this invention is that the smoker is aided in locating his lips in the desired position around chamber 4 between the tobacco and filter. For this purpose, the paper tube is provided with three annular guide ribs 8, 9 and 10 by pressing them outwardly. There is one of these guide ribs close to each side of the front ring of perforations 5. The third guide rib 10 is located between the two rings of perforations, but close to the rear ring. When the smoker feels the three ribs between his lips (FIG. 2) he knows that both rings of perforations are closed, but when his lips engage only the middle and rear ribs, or only the rear rib 9, he knows that the front ring of perforations is open (FIG. 3). If his lips engage the two front ribs 8 and 10 only (FIG. 4), the rear ring of perforations must be open. Finally, if the smoker feels that his 'lips are between the middle and rear ribs (FIG. 5), he knows that both rings of perforations are open.

It will be seen that a cigarette as disclosed herein can be smoked in several different ways by the same smoker or in a different way by each one of four different smokers having different smoking tastes. Whether a smoker likes a filter cigarette, one without a filter, an aerated filter cigarette or an aerated unfiltered cigarette, he can find them all in the cigarette disclosed herein.

It will be apparent that this invention also is applicable to cigarette holders, in which such a holder is provided with an empty chamber between the rear end of the cigarette and a filter in the rear end of the tubular holder.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A cigarette comprising a paper tube having a rear end, a column of tobacco filling the major portion of the tube but spaced from said rear end, and a filter in the rear end of the tube, the filter and tobacco column being spaced apart to form an empty chamber between them, and the portion of the tube forming the wall of said chamber being provided near each end with a ring of perforations, the spacing of said rings being such that the lips of the smoker can selectively cover both rings simultaneously or engage the tube only between the rings.

2. A cigarette comprising a paper tube having a rear end, a column of tobacco filling the major portion of the tube but spaced from said rear end, and a filter in the rear end of the tube, the filter and tobacco column being spaced apart to form an empty chamber between them, the portion of the tube forming the wall of said chamber being provided near each end with a ring of perforations, the spacing of said rings being such that the lips of the smoker can selectively cover both rings simultaneously or engage the tube only between the rings, and the paper tube being provided close to each side of the front ring of perforations with an annular guide rib and being provided between said rings with an annular guide rib close to the rear ring of perforations.

3. A smoking article comprising a tube 'having a rear end, a filter in the rear end of the tube, the tube having a tobacco-receiving front portion spaced from said filter to form an intervening empty chamber, the portion of the tube forming the wall of said chamber being provided near each end with a ring of perforations, the spacing of said rings being such that thelips of the smoker can selectively cover both rings simultaneously or engage the tube only between the rings, and the tube being provided close to said rings of perforations with lip-guiding projections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES German printed application to Reerntsrna et al., 1,075,- 485 dated February 11, 1960, 1 sht. dwg., 2 pp. spec, Class. 131-10.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

H. P. DEELEY, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CIGARETTE COMPRISING A PAPER TUBE HAVING A REAR END, A COLUMN OF TOBACCO FILLING THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE TUBE BUT SPACED FROM SAID REAR END, AND A FILTER IN THE REAR END OF THE TUBE, THE FILTER AND TOBACCO COLUMN BEING SPACED APART TO FORM AN EMPTY CHAMBER BETWEEN THEM, AND THE PORTION OF THE TUBE FORMING THE WALL OF SAID CHAM- 